The appointment of FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali has come under scrutiny from Opposition Member Jone Usamate, who claimed that the principles of good governance have been overlooked.
Mr. Usamate expressed his concerns in a statement, stating, “The appointment of Ms. Barbara Malimali as the new Commissioner of FICAC feels all wrong and, to my mind, just inappropriate.” He clarified that he holds no personal objections to Malimali and supports women’s advancement in significant positions.
However, he expressed that the ideals of transparency and accountability appear to have been ignored and questioned whether the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) had involved an independent team to evaluate candidates for this selection process, as the Constitutional Offices Commission typically does.
He emphasized the JSC’s responsibility to uphold public trust in independent institutions, even at the cost of their interests, and insisted that due diligence should have been exercised to ensure that no active investigations involving Malimali were ongoing. In his view, her appointment should have been postponed until the allegations against her were clarified.
Mr. Usamate remarked on the significant importance of the FICAC Commissioner’s role and the necessity for a careful handling of the appointment process to avoid damaging its integrity and eroding public trust.
He also inquired about the Constitutional Offices Commission’s position regarding Malimali’s resignation from her role as chair of the Electoral Commission, questioning whether proper notice of her intentions to resign had been given. Furthermore, he called for clarity on who had directed Acting Deputy Commissioner Ms. Francis Puleiwai not to pursue charges against Hon Biman Prasad, labeling it a serious misuse of power that warrants an independent investigation, possibly by the police.
Ultimately, he argued that Malimali should have exercised better judgment by accepting the FICAC Commissioner position while under investigation, a decision that could harm both FICAC’s and her reputation.
In response, Ms. Malimali criticized the political commentators who questioned the decisions made by the JSC, noting the esteemed qualifications of its members.